1. Field of the Invention
The present invention deals with material handling equipment and in particular for equipment for moving of heavy objects such as an oxygen tank between a storage position and a servicing position. The storage position needs to include an apparatus for securely holding such heavy tanks in a fixed manner in order to prevent it from becoming loose especially when mounted within vehicles.
When an oxygen tank is mounted within an ambulance or other emergency vehicle to provide a concentrated oxygen supply to an emergency patient, it must be secured in an absolutely rigorous manner. If the tank were to become loose, for example, as a result of a vehicular accident, then the tank itself could become a lethal projectile within the ambulance cabin. It is for this reason that it is important that a very secure locking mechanism is used for assuring detachable yet fixed retaining of such an oxygen tank in a locked storage position.
Due to the weight of these tanks, however, it is also important that the tank be capable of being removed from the locked storage position to a more accessible position for servicing thereof. This servicing could include removal and replacement of one tank with another or could comprise merely servicing of the tank. The movement of such a tank by a tank handling apparatus between the storage position and the servicing position is an important aspect of this design as well as the ability to firmly yet detachably hold the tank in a storage position with respect to the environmental structure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous patents have been granted for the purposes of material handling with respect to vehicles or handling or carrying or hoisting tanks for various purposes. These patents include U.S. Pat. No. 1,788,987 patented Jan. 13, 1931 to C. Cunningham on a "Carrier For Transporting And Dispensing Liquids"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,058,607 patented Oct. 16, 1962 to J. T. Kiley and assigned to James A. Kiley Company on "Ladder Racks"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,471,046 patented Oct. 7, 1969 to G. H. Hess and assigned to Stanray Corporation on a "Cart For Gas Cylinders"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,637,097 patented Jan. 25, 1972 to Robert Horowitz and assigned to S&H Industries, Inc. on a "Power-Operated Tailgate With Maximum Rearward Displacement Between Fully Elevated And Fully Lowered Positions"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,650,423 patented Mar. 21, 1972 to John W. O'Brien on a "Mechanical Ladle"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,682,342 patented Aug. 8, 1972 to David Evans on "Lifting Devices"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,703,968 patented Nov. 28, 1972 to R. Uhrich et al and assigned to The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy on a "Linear Linkage Manipulator Arm"; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,717,271 patented Feb. 20, 1973 to D. L. Bargman, Jr. and assigned to Colorado Leisure Products, Inc. on a "Vehicle Tire Carrier"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,021,070 patented May 3, 1977 to Frank Shea on a "Mechanical Lift"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,059,281 patented Nov. 22, 1977 to Dafydd Evans on a "Mounting Assembly For A Controllably Movable Fluid Tank"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,221,529 patented Sep. 9, 1980 to A. DeShano on a "Delivery Trailer"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,508 patented Aug. 17, 1982 to A. Peck and assigned to Alcan Research and Development Limited on a "Lift Mechanism For A Vehicle Tail-Board Or Other Load Platform"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,556,358 patented Dec. 3, 1985 to Burton Harlan on a "Portable Hoist"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,560,193 patented Dec. 24, 1985 to Randall Beebe on a "Carrying Device For Transporting A Cylindrical Tank"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,688,308 patented Aug. 25, 1987 to Ramon Alvarez on a "Mobile Radiator Shop"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,582 patented Apr. 19, 1988 to John Roberts and assigned to E Manufacturing Company, Inc. on a "Tank Carrier And Manipulator"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,808,056 patented Feb. 28, 1989 to Shinnosuke Oshima on an "Elevator Device Transportable In A Motor Vehicle"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,421 patented May 16, 1989 to Walter Hawelka et al and assigned to Konrad Rosenbauer KG on a "Service Vehicles"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,794 patented Oct. 10, 1989 to Gail David et al and assigned to Halliburton Company on a "Tank Mounting Apparatus"; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,330 patented Mar. 27, 1990 to James Vlaanderen et al and assigned to Iowa Mold Tooling Company, Inc. on a "Service Vehicle With Dispensing System"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,280 patented Apr. 14, 1992 to Michael P. Ziaylek et al and assigned to Michael P. Ziaylek on an "Apparatus For Use With An Emergency Vehicle For Storage And Retrieval Of Remotely Located Emergency Devices"; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 331,030 patented Nov. 17, 1992 to Michael P. Ziaylek et al and assigned to Michael P. Ziaylek on a "Unit For Use With An Emergency Vehicle For Storage And Retrieval Of Remotely Located Emergency Devices"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,628 patented May 11, 1993 to C. Hassell on a "Self-Loading Dolly Mount Apparatus"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,346,357 patented Sep. 13, 1994 to C. Hassell on a "Self-Locking Parallel-Motion Dolly Mount"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,366,338 patented Nov. 22, 1994 to ED. Mortensen on a "Lift And Tow Motorcycle Transporter"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,440,098 patented Aug. 8, 1995 to T. Matus and assigned to Miller Electric Manufacturing Co. on a "Gas Cylinder Lifting System"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,357 patented May 21, 1996 to Michael P. Ziaylek and assigned to Theodore Ziaylek, Jr. and Michael P. Ziaylek on a "Retaining And Retrieval Apparatus For Storage Of A Ladder Upon A Vehicle Shelf Area"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,300 patented Nov. 12, 1996 to M. Simmons on "Utility Vehicles With Interchangeable Emergency Response Modules"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,717,271 patented Feb. 10, 1998 to Susumu Aoki et al and assigned to Mitsuba Corporation on a "Brush Holder Device And Method Of Molding Same"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,857 patented Aug. 11, 1998 to Theodore Ziaylek, Jr. et al and assigned to Theodore Ziaylek, Jr. and Michael Paul Ziaylek on an "Automatic Ladder Lowering And Storage Device For Use With An Emergency Vehicle".